The Sumud Nusantara Control Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that 10 Malaysians taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian mission were among those detained by Israeli forces near Crete, Greece, today.
Its director-general, Datuk Dr Sani Araby, said the individuals were aboard six out of 22 vessels intercepted between 1am and 11am Malaysian time, corresponding to around 6pm in Greece.
Among those detained are veteran journalist and humanitarian activist Zainal Rashid Ahmad, also known as ZRA, who was on board the vessel Arkham III, as well as Osman Zolkifli and Dr Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin, who were on the Eros 1.
Others identified include Mohd Shamsir Mohd Isa (Esplai), Hazwan Hazim Dermawan, Mohd Hanafi Mohd Salim, Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman, Norhelmi Ab Ghani (Bianca BCN), Mohd Redzal Amzah (Freia), and Muhamad Muhzin Zaidi (Marea).
Sani said the vessels were approached aggressively by Israeli forces while sailing in what was described as a lawful maritime route, approximately 656 nautical miles from their point of origin.
He added that the last communication with the vessels occurred about four hours before contact was lost, with reports of provocation, warning shots fired, and radio frequency interference allegedly carried out by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
“At this stage, details remain limited. The individuals are believed to have been unlawfully detained, and further confirmation is being sought,” he said during a press conference at Wisma MAPIM in Bandar Bukit Mahkota.
SNCC also assured that families of those involved would be updated from time to time as more information becomes available.
Earlier, SNCC confirmed that the Global Sumud Flotilla mission had commenced its journey with 56 vessels departing from the Port of Catania, Italy, as part of a humanitarian effort bound for Gaza.
A total of 36 Malaysians are participating in the mission, including boat engineers, captains, medical personnel, crew members, and volunteers, all reported to be in good condition and committed to continuing the mission.
